"The defeat of the Tamil Tigers might encourage other governments to put more emphasis on fighting insurgents by military means.This would go against the modern theory of counter insurgency, which tries to win over populations as the key to long-term peace. The modern theory has been enshrined in the US manual of counter insurgency. This was written by General David Petraeus, the man who led the surge in Iraq and brought a greater degree of stability. He is now trying to do the same thing in Afghanistan. "Counter-insurgents should prepare for a long-term commitment" is one sentence from the manual. "Offensive operations are only the beginning" is another. In Sri Lanka it was certainly a long-term counter-insurgency commitment. But offensive operations were the end as well as the beginning... The events in Sri Lanka will not bring a decisive shift in thinking back to the old days of might means right, but they will have an effect in this kind of debate. "

Black Air Tiger attack on Colombo's Air Force HQ, Air Base

Kilinochchi Battle will be Archetypal Military Disaster for Sri Lankan Army

A troop carrier cum supply ship of the Sri Lanka Navy, A-520, named 'MV Invincible', was sunk by Sea Tiger naval commandos in the Trincomalee Harbour at 2:23 a.m. Saturday, according to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni. The underwater attack by Black Tigers was carried out when the supply vessel was loaded with explosives to be transported to KKS Harbour in Jaffna, the LTTE said. The ship was sunk within the first 13-minutes of the attack, the Tigers said. The 80-meter long supply ship and troop carrier has also been deployed in the Sri Lanka Navy's deep sea operations against Tiger vessels in 2007. The ship has lately been engaged in naval resupply service between KKS and Trincomalee. The Sri Lanka Navy seized the ship in 2003 when it was reportedly involved in a people-smuggling operations. Operated by a Russian or Georgian crew, it had 250 Pakistanis on board, who had flown legitimately to Colombo, the BBC reported. Commandos from Kangkai Amaran unit of the Sea Tigers took part in Saturday�s mission, the LTTE also said. The unit was named after a senior commander of the Sea Tigers killed by Sri Lankan Army Deep Penetration Unit on 29 June 2001 in an attack in the Mannaar district.

Who's writing the script of the war? - J.S. Tissainayagam

LTTE on its last legs in Wanni - Sri Lanka State Controlled Observer

"A joke used to do the rounds in Colombo, during a previous phase of Sri Lanka's interminable civil war - that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) must surely have already been wiped out entirely, given the numbers of rebels the military said it was killing..."

"..The fighting formation of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forces, "boxed" an area of 10 square kilometers and defeated Sri Lankan offensive towards Vaharai Friday, LTTE Trincomalee Political Head S. Elilan said Saturday. Accusing Sri Lanka for violating the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) and the Geneva Agreement of disarming the paramilitary cadres, Mr. Elian said 400 Sri Lankan troops, including 80 paramilitary cadres, were involved in the Sri Lankan offensive. K.M.S. Ratnayake, a soldier from Sri Lanka's 6th Battalion of Gemunu Watch, was captured alive by the Tigers. Colombo has refused to accept 9 bodies of SLA soldiers killed in the encounter, Mr. Elilan said..."

  Australian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation interviews

The graduation ceremony for about six thousand villagers who have completed their training under the civilian volunteer force programme in the LTTE-held Muttur east villages was held Friday evening at Sri Senbaga Maha Vidiyalyam grounds in Eachchilampathu division in the Trincomalee district. "Sinhala government in the south has shown its unwillingness to respect the legitimate rights of Tamil people. We are forced to strengthen ourselves with the support of Tamil people under the leadership and guidance of our national leader to move the liberation struggle vigorously forward," said Mr. S. Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head, in a speech at the event, LTTE sources said. Mr. Elilan further said, "We are disppointed with the approach of the international community toward resolving the conflict in Sri Lanka. They appear to be driven by their own domestic agendas."

Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) troopers shot and killed four fishermen and lobbed a grenade Saturday morning into the Church of Our Lady of Victory in Pesalai, killing a lady and wounding 44. Civilians had sought refuge at the church following the recent escalation of violence in Pesalai. The fishermen were killed at the shores of Pesalai, 15 km northwest of Mannar, around 7:00 a.m. Saturday, when the troopers began attacking civilians after a sea fight with the Sea Tigers in the seas off Pesalai.

"Sri Lankan Kfir bombers, for the third time within the last 36 hours, Friday, 16 June evening from 5:20 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., dropped 10 bombs in the suburbs of Kilinochchi. Kfir bombers also dropped six bombs in the suburbs of Kilinochchi Friday morning. At least two Kfir bombers and a reconnaisance aircraft were observed in high altitude over Vanni in the morning and the evening."

Bombs targeted by Kfir bombers of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) at a tsunami refugee camp with 300 refugees in Selvapuram on Mullaithivu-Paranthan Road, beyond Vadduvahal bridge, Thursday noon missed the target, sources in Mullaitivu said. Refugees who fled their temporary huts in Selvalpuram seeking safety elsewhere escaped injuries from the indiscriminate bombing from high altitude by the supersonic jets.

Elephant Pass Commemoration

Heavy Fighting in Muhamalai-Killali Sector

Fierce Fighting Erupts in Jaffna

Sea Tigers Destroy Ship Carrying Arms to Jaffna

Sri Lanka gun boats destroyed

Sri Lanka rejects ceasefire - civilians stranded in battle zone

LTTE preparing for final push into Jaffna

LTTE scores spectacular gains

Strategic bridge falls to Tigers

LTTE offers temporary ceasefire to facilitate evacuation of Sri Lanka troops from Jaffna Peninsula

LTTE captures strategic town of Pallai

LTTE captures massive haul of arms

Elephant Pass Falls to  LTTE

Military complex falls to Liberation Tigers

Elephant Pass Southern Defences Collapse

Four more villages captured -VoT

Heavy fighting continues in Jaffna Peninsula

Tigers capture Vadamaradchi East villages

LTTE offensive spreads to Thenmarachi

LTTE launches major assault on gateway to Jaffna

Tigers say Thallady forward defence overrun

Tigers consolidate, press attack

Tigers say resume advance

Puliyankulam falls to LTTE

LTTE captures Mankulam

 Karupaddamurippu captured

Heavy fighting continues in the Vanni

1000 SLA troops killed - LTTE

Nedunkerni falls and Sri Lanka troops in disarray

Tigers capture large area - radio

LTTE overruns Oddusudan military complex